The Classical Sarod Player

Asad Qizilbash Biography

Born in Pakistan in 1963, Asad Qizilbash is living in Islamabad - capital of Pakistan. He is the second of three sons, all gifted for music. However, only Asad pursued a classic music career.

His father, the well known and much appreciated K. H. Qizilbash, was himself a very educated and talented self-made violinist. He appreciated very much the western classic music (Beethoven, Mozart, Paganini, etc.).

Born in Pakistan in 1963, Asad Qizilbash is living in Islamabad - capital of Pakistan. He is the second of three sons, all gifted for music. However, only Asad pursued a classic music career.

His father, the well known and much appreciated K. H. Qizilbash, was himself a very educated and talented self-made violinist. He appreciated very much the western classic music (Beethoven, Mozart, Paganini, etc.).

King of Nepal and Asad's Father

He was composing and playing creations of his own, where the influence if the western music was appearing in famous ragas. When he became the first music composer of the Pakistan Television (PTV) in Rawalpindi, he was a recognized composer-conductor-cum-violinist. In 1973, in front of 59 other countries, he brought to his country the award of the 9th "Hollywood Festival for Ballet Dance". His career as much oriented in the promotion of Pakistanis musicians also. Among others the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (Qawal) and the present much appreciated Hadiqa Kayani (Pop singer) were given technical support by him, since the mid seventies.

It is no wonder that Asad Qizilbash received the best kind if musical instructions, starting with the violin. And today, Asad Qizilbash still remembers each detail of his father's lessons. This did not brought Asad to consider a classical music career in the beginning. As many youngster, Asad Qizilbash also learned guitar, a much more fashion instrument. And he was performing successfully in Folk & Pop songs.

However, a complete U-turn occurred in his life when he attended the concert given by Amjad And Khan the Ustad of sarod in the Liaquat Hall / Rawalpindi in 1981. A paradigm shift occurred then.

Asad became Ganda Band Shagird of Amjad Ali Khan

(New Delhi 1997)

As he likes to remember it: "we never liked classical music at that time. But when I heard him, I thought to throw my guitar. I wished I was playing myself that sarod...", and he would add, "before Amjad Ali Khan, there was no Asad Qizilbash...". His father encouraged him warmly and gave him two things: a sarod, and some cassettes from Amjad Ali Khan. From there onwards, Asad Qizilbash listened and learned to play the sarod, with the fragrance of his Ustad.

During four years, Asad Qizilbash worked for a drilling company in the Middle East. After the heavy working hours, he would be listening to the ragas of his Ustad. That was his life on the oil rig in those days.

After that, Asad Qizilbash went for a musical retreat. He left for Germany in 1989. He was learning sarod every day and night. He put all his mind and soul into it. He attended the Tagore Institute in Bonn, and gave even two concerts (1990 and 1991). He learned, through the cassettes and videos of Amjad Ali Khan. And just as his father had been a self-made violinist, Asad Qizilbash was learning the sarod the same way.

And since he came back to Pakistan in 1992, he is the only recognized sarod player in the country. But more than anything else he is a Spiritual son (Ganda band Shagird) of Ustad Amjad Al Khan, to whom he owes much of his musical style.

Asad Qizilbash in Oil Rig Company

(Abu Dhabi 1982)

Born in Pakistan in 1963, Asad Qizilbash is living in Islamabad - capital of Pakistan. He is the second of three sons, all gifted for music. However, only Asad pursued a classic music career.

His father, the well known and much appreciated K. H. Qizilbash, was himself a very educated and talented self-made violinist. He appreciated very much the western classic music (Beethoven, Mozart, Paganini, etc.).

King of Nepal and Asad's Father

He was composing and playing creations of his own, where the influence if the western music was appearing in famous ragas. When he became the first music composer of the Pakistan Television (PTV) in Rawalpindi, he was a recognized composer-conductor-cum-violinist. In 1973, in front of 59 other countries, he brought to his country the award of the 9th "Hollywood Festival for Ballet Dance". His career as much oriented in the promotion of Pakistanis musicians also. Among others the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (Qawal) and the present much appreciated Hadiqa Kayani (Pop singer) were given technical support by him, since the mid seventies.

It is no wonder that Asad Qizilbash received the best kind if musical instructions, starting with the violin. And today, Asad Qizilbash still remembers each detail of his father's lessons. This did not brought Asad to consider a classical music career in the beginning. As many youngster, Asad Qizilbash also learned guitar, a much more fashion instrument. And he was performing successfully in Folk & Pop songs.

However, a complete U-turn occurred in his life when he attended the concert given by Amjad And Khan the Ustad of sarod in the Liaquat Hall / Rawalpindi in 1981. A paradigm shift occurred then.

Asad became Ganda Band Shagird of Amjad Ali Khan

(New Delhi 1997)

As he likes to remember it: "we never liked classical music at that time. But when I heard him, I thought to throw my guitar. I wished I was playing myself that sarod...", and he would add, "before Amjad Ali Khan, there was no Asad Qizilbash...". His father encouraged him warmly and gave him two things: a sarod, and some cassettes from Amjad Ali Khan. From there onwards, Asad Qizilbash listened and learned to play the sarod, with the fragrance of his Ustad.

During four years, Asad Qizilbash worked for a drilling company in the Middle East. After the heavy working hours, he would be listening to the ragas of his Ustad. That was his life on the oil rig in those days.

After that, Asad Qizilbash went for a musical retreat. He left for Germany in 1989. He was learning sarod every day and night. He put all his mind and soul into it. He attended the Tagore Institute in Bonn, and gave even two concerts (1990 and 1991). He learned, through the cassettes and videos of Amjad Ali Khan. And just as his father had been a self-made violinist, Asad Qizilbash was learning the sarod the same way.

And since he came back to Pakistan in 1992, he is the only recognized sarod player in the country. But more than anything else he is a Spiritual son (Ganda band Shagird) of Ustad Amjad Al Khan, to whom he owes much of his musical style.

Asad Qizilbash in Oil Rig Company

(Abu Dhabi 1982)

Born in Pakistan in 1963, Asad Qizilbash is living in Islamabad - capital of Pakistan. He is the second of three sons, all gifted for music. However, only Asad pursued a classic music career.

His father, the well known and much appreciated K. H. Qizilbash, was himself a very educated and talented self-made violinist. He appreciated very much the western classic music (Beethoven, Mozart, Paganini, etc.).

King of Nepal and Asad's Father

He was composing and playing creations of his own, where the influence if the western music was appearing in famous ragas. When he became the first music composer of the Pakistan Television (PTV) in Rawalpindi, he was a recognized composer-conductor-cum-violinist. In 1973, in front of 59 other countries, he brought to his country the award of the 9th "Hollywood Festival for Ballet Dance". His career as much oriented in the promotion of Pakistanis musicians also. Among others the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (Qawal) and the present much appreciated Hadiqa Kayani (Pop singer) were given technical support by him, since the mid seventies.

It is no wonder that Asad Qizilbash received the best kind if musical instructions, starting with the violin. And today, Asad Qizilbash still remembers each detail of his father's lessons. This did not brought Asad to consider a classical music career in the beginning. As many youngster, Asad Qizilbash also learned guitar, a much more fashion instrument. And he was performing successfully in Folk & Pop songs.

However, a complete U-turn occurred in his life when he attended the concert given by Amjad And Khan the Ustad of sarod in the Liaquat Hall / Rawalpindi in 1981. A paradigm shift occurred then.

Asad became Ganda Band Shagird of Amjad Ali Khan

(New Delhi 1997)

As he likes to remember it: "we never liked classical music at that time. But when I heard him, I thought to throw my guitar. I wished I was playing myself that sarod...", and he would add, "before Amjad Ali Khan, there was no Asad Qizilbash...". His father encouraged him warmly and gave him two things: a sarod, and some cassettes from Amjad Ali Khan. From there onwards, Asad Qizilbash listened and learned to play the sarod, with the fragrance of his Ustad.

During four years, Asad Qizilbash worked for a drilling company in the Middle East. After the heavy working hours, he would be listening to the ragas of his Ustad. That was his life on the oil rig in those days.

After that, Asad Qizilbash went for a musical retreat. He left for Germany in 1989. He was learning sarod every day and night. He put all his mind and soul into it. He attended the Tagore Institute in Bonn, and gave even two concerts (1990 and 1991). He learned, through the cassettes and videos of Amjad Ali Khan. And just as his father had been a self-made violinist, Asad Qizilbash was learning the sarod the same way.

And since he came back to Pakistan in 1992, he is the only recognized sarod player in the country. But more than anything else he is a Spiritual son (Ganda band Shagird) of Ustad Amjad Al Khan, to whom he owes much of his musical style.

Asad Qizilbash in Oil Rig Company

(Abu Dhabi 1982)

Born in Pakistan in 1963, Asad Qizilbash is living in Islamabad - capital of Pakistan. He is the second of three sons, all gifted for music. However, only Asad pursued a classic music career.

His father, the well known and much appreciated K. H. Qizilbash, was himself a very educated and talented self-made violinist. He appreciated very much the western classic music (Beethoven, Mozart, Paganini, etc.).

King of Nepal and Asad's Father

He was composing and playing creations of his own, where the influence if the western music was appearing in famous ragas. When he became the first music composer of the Pakistan Television (PTV) in Rawalpindi, he was a recognized composer-conductor-cum-violinist. In 1973, in front of 59 other countries, he brought to his country the award of the 9th "Hollywood Festival for Ballet Dance". His career as much oriented in the promotion of Pakistanis musicians also. Among others the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (Qawal) and the present much appreciated Hadiqa Kayani (Pop singer) were given technical support by him, since the mid seventies.

It is no wonder that Asad Qizilbash received the best kind if musical instructions, starting with the violin. And today, Asad Qizilbash still remembers each detail of his father's lessons. This did not brought Asad to consider a classical music career in the beginning. As many youngster, Asad Qizilbash also learned guitar, a much more fashion instrument. And he was performing successfully in Folk & Pop songs.

However, a complete U-turn occurred in his life when he attended the concert given by Amjad And Khan the Ustad of sarod in the Liaquat Hall / Rawalpindi in 1981. A paradigm shift occurred then.

Asad became Ganda Band Shagird of Amjad Ali Khan

(New Delhi 1997)

As he likes to remember it: "we never liked classical music at that time. But when I heard him, I thought to throw my guitar. I wished I was playing myself that sarod...", and he would add, "before Amjad Ali Khan, there was no Asad Qizilbash...". His father encouraged him warmly and gave him two things: a sarod, and some cassettes from Amjad Ali Khan. From there onwards, Asad Qizilbash listened and learned to play the sarod, with the fragrance of his Ustad.

During four years, Asad Qizilbash worked for a drilling company in the Middle East. After the heavy working hours, he would be listening to the ragas of his Ustad. That was his life on the oil rig in those days.

After that, Asad Qizilbash went for a musical retreat. He left for Germany in 1989. He was learning sarod every day and night. He put all his mind and soul into it. He attended the Tagore Institute in Bonn, and gave even two concerts (1990 and 1991). He learned, through the cassettes and videos of Amjad Ali Khan. And just as his father had been a self-made violinist, Asad Qizilbash was learning the sarod the same way.

And since he came back to Pakistan in 1992, he is the only recognized sarod player in the country. But more than anything else he is a Spiritual son (Ganda band Shagird) of Ustad Amjad Al Khan, to whom he owes much of his musical style.

Asad Qizilbash in Oil Rig Company

(Abu Dhabi 1982)

Born in Pakistan in 1963, Asad Qizilbash is living in Islamabad - capital of Pakistan. He is the second of three sons, all gifted for music. However, only Asad pursued a classic music career.

His father, the well known and much appreciated K. H. Qizilbash, was himself a very educated and talented self-made violinist. He appreciated very much the western classic music (Beethoven, Mozart, Paganini, etc.).

King of Nepal and Asad's Father

He was composing and playing creations of his own, where the influence if the western music was appearing in famous ragas. When he became the first music composer of the Pakistan Television (PTV) in Rawalpindi, he was a recognized composer-conductor-cum-violinist. In 1973, in front of 59 other countries, he brought to his country the award of the 9th "Hollywood Festival for Ballet Dance". His career as much oriented in the promotion of Pakistanis musicians also. Among others the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (Qawal) and the present much appreciated Hadiqa Kayani (Pop singer) were given technical support by him, since the mid seventies.

It is no wonder that Asad Qizilbash received the best kind if musical instructions, starting with the violin. And today, Asad Qizilbash still remembers each detail of his father's lessons. This did not brought Asad to consider a classical music career in the beginning. As many youngster, Asad Qizilbash also learned guitar, a much more fashion instrument. And he was performing successfully in Folk & Pop songs.

However, a complete U-turn occurred in his life when he attended the concert given by Amjad And Khan the Ustad of sarod in the Liaquat Hall / Rawalpindi in 1981. A paradigm shift occurred then.

Asad became Ganda Band Shagird of Amjad Ali Khan

(New Delhi 1997)

As he likes to remember it: "we never liked classical music at that time. But when I heard him, I thought to throw my guitar. I wished I was playing myself that sarod...", and he would add, "before Amjad Ali Khan, there was no Asad Qizilbash...". His father encouraged him warmly and gave him two things: a sarod, and some cassettes from Amjad Ali Khan. From there onwards, Asad Qizilbash listened and learned to play the sarod, with the fragrance of his Ustad.

During four years, Asad Qizilbash worked for a drilling company in the Middle East. After the heavy working hours, he would be listening to the ragas of his Ustad. That was his life on the oil rig in those days.

After that, Asad Qizilbash went for a musical retreat. He left for Germany in 1989. He was learning sarod every day and night. He put all his mind and soul into it. He attended the Tagore Institute in Bonn, and gave even two concerts (1990 and 1991). He learned, through the cassettes and videos of Amjad Ali Khan. And just as his father had been a self-made violinist, Asad Qizilbash was learning the sarod the same way.

And since he came back to Pakistan in 1992, he is the only recognized sarod player in the country. But more than anything else he is a Spiritual son (Ganda band Shagird) of Ustad Amjad Al Khan, to whom he owes much of his musical style.

Asad Qizilbash in Oil Rig Company

(Abu Dhabi 1982)

Born in Pakistan in 1963, Asad Qizilbash is living in Islamabad - capital of Pakistan. He is the second of three sons, all gifted for music. However, only Asad pursued a classical music career.

His father, the well known and much appreciated K. H. Qizilbash, was himself a very educated and talented self-made violinist. He appreciated very much the western classic music (Beethoven, Mozart, Paganini, etc.).

King of Nepal and Asad's Father

He was composing and playing creations of his own, where the influence if the western music was appearing in famous ragas. When he became the first music composer of the Pakistan Television (PTV) in Rawalpindi, he was a recognized composer-conductor-cum-violinist. In 1973, in front of 59 other countries, he brought to his country the award of the 9th "Hollywood Festival for Ballet Dance". His career as much oriented in the promotion of Pakistanis musicians also. Among others the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (Qawal) and the present much appreciated Hadiqa Kayani (Pop singer) were given technical support by him, since the mid seventies.

It is no wonder that Asad Qizilbash received the best kind if musical instructions, starting with the violin. And today, Asad Qizilbash still remembers each detail of his father's lessons. This did not brought Asad to consider a classical music career in the beginning. As many youngster, Asad Qizilbash also learned guitar, a much more fashion instrument. And he was performing successfully in Folk & Pop songs.

However, a complete U-turn occurred in his life when he attended the concert given by Ustad Amjad Ali Khan in Liaquat Hall / Rawalpindi in 1981. A paradigm shift occurred then.

Asad became Ganda Band Shagird of Amjad Ali Khan (New Delhi 1997)

As he likes to remember it: "we never liked classical music at that time. But when I heard him, I thought to throw my guitar. I wished I was playing myself that sarod...", and he would add, "before Amjad Ali Khan, there was no Asad Qizilbash...". His father encouraged him warmly and gave him two things: a sarod, and some cassettes from Amjad Ali Khan. From there onwards, Asad Qizilbash listened and learned to play the sarod, with the fragrance of his Ustad.

During four years, Asad Qizilbash worked for a drilling company in the Middle East. After the heavy working hours, he would be listening to the ragas of his Ustad. That was his life on the oil rig in those days.

Asad Qizilbash in Oil Rig Company (Abu Dhabi) 1982

After that, Asad Qizilbash went for a musical retreat. He left for Germany in 1989. He was learning sarod every day and night. He put all his mind and soul into it. He attended the Tagore Institute in Bonn, and gave even two concerts (1990 and 1991). He learned, through the cassettes and videos of Amjad Ali Khan. And just as his father had been a self-made violinist, Asad Qizilbash was learning the sarod the same way.

And since he came back from Germany to Pakistan in 1992, he is the only recognized sarod player in the country. But more than anything else he is a Spiritual son (Ganda band Shagird) of Ustad Amjad Al Khan, to whom he owes much of his musical style.

Born in Pakistan in 1963, Asad Qizilbash is living in Islamabad - capital of Pakistan. He is the second of three sons, all gifted for music. However, only Asad pursued a classic music career.

His father, the well known and much appreciated K. H. Qizilbash, was himself a very educated and talented self-made violinist. He appreciated very much the western classic music (Beethoven, Mozart, Paganini, etc.).

King of Nepal and Asad's Father

He was composing and playing creations of his own, where the influence if the western music was appearing in famous ragas. When he became the first music composer of the Pakistan Television (PTV) in Rawalpindi, he was a recognized composer-conductor-cum-violinist. In 1973, in front of 59 other countries, he brought to his country the award of the 9th "Hollywood Festival for Ballet Dance". His career as much oriented in the promotion of Pakistanis musicians also. Among others the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (Qawal) and the present much appreciated Hadiqa Kayani (Pop singer) were given technical support by him, since the mid seventies.

It is no wonder that Asad Qizilbash received the best kind if musical instructions, starting with the violin. And today, Asad Qizilbash still remembers each detail of his father's lessons. This did not brought Asad to consider a classical music career in the beginning. As many youngster, Asad Qizilbash also learned guitar, a much more fashion instrument. And he was performing successfully in Folk & Pop songs.

However, a complete U-turn occurred in his life when he attended the concert given by Amjad And Khan the Ustad of sarod in the Liaquat Hall / Rawalpindi in 1981. A paradigm shift occurred then.

Asad became Ganda Band Shagird of Amjad Ali Khan(New Delhi 1997)

As he likes to remember it: "we never liked classical music at that time. But when I heard him, I thought to throw my guitar. I wished I was playing myself that sarod...", and he would add, "before Amjad Ali Khan, there was no Asad Qizilbash...". His father encouraged him warmly and gave him two things: a sarod, and some cassettes from Amjad Ali Khan. From there onwards, Asad Qizilbash listened and learned to play the sarod, with the fragrance of his Ustad.

During four years, Asad Qizilbash worked for a drilling company in the Middle East. After the heavy working hours, he would be listening to the ragas of his Ustad. That was his life on the oil rig in those days.

After that, Asad Qizilbash went for a musical retreat. He left for Germany in 1989. He was learning sarod every day and night. He put all his mind and soul into it. He attended the Tagore Institute in Bonn, and gave even two concerts (1990 and 1991). He learned, through the cassettes and videos of Amjad Ali Khan. And just as his father had been a self-made violinist, Asad Qizilbash was learning the sarod the same way.

And since he came back to Pakistan in 1992, he is the only recognized sarod player in the country. But more than anything else he is a Spiritual son (Ganda band Shagird) of Ustad Amjad Al Khan, to whom he owes much of his musical style.